August, 21 2020, 12:00am EDT
SATURDAY: Day of Action Demands Support For USPS With Nearly 450 Events Nationwide
Protesters Demand Congress “Save the Post Office from Trump,” Call on Postmaster General DeJoy to Resign
WASHINGTON
This Saturday, August 22nd, concerned citizens throughout the nation will hold socially distant rallies dedicated to saving the United States Postal Service. The national day of action will feature nearly 450 events in states such as Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, DC and Wisconsin.
FIND AN EVENT NEAR YOU HERE: https://www.savethepostoffice.net/event/save-the-post-office/search/
The actions come in response to Donald Trump and new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's recent efforts to undermine the U.S. Postal Service, including slowing mail, removing mail sorting machines, and warning states not to count on the post office.
To promote safety given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the action will take place outdoors and have a physical distancing plan, and attendees will be asked to wear masks.
The events are organized by a coalition of groups including Indivisible, the Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, MoveOn, NAACP, RuralOrganizing.org, Service Employees International Union, Vets for the People, and the Working Families Party.
"From the most remote village in the Alaskan tundra to the tiniest island in the Everglades, there's one connection we've always depended on: the mail. Together, we're coming together to support a beloved system that every American relies on," said Rahna Epting, Executive Director of MoveOn. "The mail shapes our lives and our livelihoods. It's how millions get our medicines, send holiday greetings and receive the resources we depend on. And, in this pandemic, the mail is how millions of us will deliver our democracy. We reject these attacks on the USPS. We demand full restoration of machines and personnel plus full funding for the post office. We will fight until every vote is counted."
In a massive push to save the USPS this week, MoveOn Political Action also released a new TV ad and polling, warning senior citizens about Trump's attacks on the US Postal Service and showing that most voters in battleground states like Florida, Georgia, Iowa and Maine do not approve of President Trump's handling of the US Postal Service.
MoveOn is where millions mobilize for a better society--one where everyone can thrive. Whether it's supporting a candidate, passing legislation, or changing our culture, MoveOn members are committed to an inclusive and progressive future. We envision a world marked by equality, sustainability, justice, and love. And we mobilize together to achieve it.
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U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday announced that he is commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 Americans and pardoning 39 people convicted of nonviolent crimes, a move the White House described as "the largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history."
But the president's sweeping use of his clemency power as his term nears its conclusion did not appear to extend to any of the 40 men currently on death row—some of whom have been there for decades.
According to a White House fact sheet, those who received commutations "have been serving their sentences at home for at least one year under the Covid-era CARES Act," a law that extended the amount of time in which people could be placed in home confinement to reduce the spread of the virus in prisons.
The White House did not name those who received pardons or commutations but said the list includes a "decorated military veteran," a "nurse who has led emergency response for several natural disasters," and "an addiction counselor who volunteers his time to help young people find their purpose."
The Biden Justice Department paused federal executions in 2021, but President-elect Donald Trump pledged on the campaign trail to expand the use of the death penalty and is expected to allow the executions of the 40 men on death row to take place if they're still there when he takes office next month.
In a statement on Thursday, Biden said that he has "the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offenses."
"That is why, today, I am pardoning 39 people who have shown successful rehabilitation and have shown commitment to making their communities stronger and safer," the president said. "I am also commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 people who are serving long prison sentences—many of whom would receive lower sentences if charged under today’s laws, policies, and practices. These commutation recipients, who were placed on home confinement during the Covid pandemic, have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities and have shown that they deserve a second chance."
Biden, who campaigned on ending the death penalty at the federal level, vowed to "take more steps in the weeks ahead" as his administration reviews clemency petitions, leaving open the possibility of commutations for death row prisoners.
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Despite the Pentagon's repeated failures to pass audits and various alarming policies, 81 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives voted with 200 Republicans on Wednesday to advance a $883.7 billion annual defense package.
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Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), co-chairs and co-founders of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, said in a joint statement, "Time and time again, Congress seems to be able to find the funds necessary to line the pockets of defense contractors while neglecting the problems everyday Americans face here at home."
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Several of the 124 House Democrats who voted against the NDAA cited those "culture war" policies, in addition to concerns about how the Pentagon spends massive amounts of money that could go toward improving lives across the country.
"Once again, Congress has passed a massive military authorization bill that prioritizes endless military spending over the critical needs of American families. This year's NDAA designates $900 billion for military spending," said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), noting the audit failures. "While I recognize the long-overdue 14.5% raise for our lowest-ranking enlisted personnel is important, this bill remains flawed. The bloated military budget continues to take away crucial funding from programs that could help millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet."
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As Omar, a leading critic of the U.S.-backed Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, also pointed out: "The NDAA includes a provision that blocks the Pentagon from using data on casualties and deaths from the Gaza Ministry of Health or any sources relying on those statistics. This is an alarming erasure of the suffering of the Palestinian people, ignoring the human toll of ongoing violence."
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